Plans to transform the provision of special education across Wiltshire have taken a big step forward.

The Office for the School Adjudicator examined the proposals to merge St Nicholas in Chippenham, Larkrise in Trowbridge and Rowdeford in Devizes and establish the new, maintained special school with a single leadership team to work across the schools.

The move will see more places created across north Wiltshire.

In a letter to parents, Larkrise headteacher Phil Cook said: “This means that on August 31, Larkrise, Rowdeford and St Nicholas will technically close as three separate schools, and on September 1, 2020 a new single school will be created on the three existing sites.

“This decision is an important milestone and reflects a lot of hard work from all the governors, staff and the wider school communities.”

After consulting with parents, pupils and schools, Wiltshire council approved a number of recommendations including maintaining the schools under amalgamated leadership and expanding Rowdeford school to accommodate 400 additional pupils as part of the new school.

Cllr Pauline Church, cabinet member for children, education and skills said: “The OSA decision is an important step in securing the very best provision for our SEND pupils for the future.

“In preparation for this decision we have already started to design a build programme to meet the need for additional special schools places in north Wiltshire.

“Although Covid-19 has created some challenges, I look forward to continuing that working together with families, pupils and schools so we have the best available provision which meets the needs of our SEND pupils now and in the future.

“The three schools have been doing excellent work planning for the future, and we look forward to continuing to work with the new school on this exciting project.”

“Their generosity means we can make a massive difference to vulnerable people, old and young who really need help, and will continue to do so."

The Fund and generous support from Malmesbury Area Community Trust are also replacing broken essential household equipment local people cannot afford to fund themselves.

Through its Local Giving appeal, Heals’ Emergency Hardship Fund has received more than £5,500 from individual donations, with Gift Aid adding a further £1,000.

These included hundreds of pounds from Hankerton residents who ran a socially distanced marathon around their close in Follyfield.

One of the major donors was Malmesbury League of Friends. Their chair David Hide, said: "We are delighted to donate £2,000 to Heals in support of their Emergency Hardship Fund, which is undertaking vital work in providing ready meals and food vouchers for those most in need."

Other major organisations who donated to the fund include The Masonic Order of Athelstan, Warden & Freemen of Malmesbury, Malmesbury & St Pauls Without Residents Association and Kingsbeech Ltd, Cirencester.

Local organisations are also giving Heals a helping hand to ensure the charity itself has a real chance of surviving this crisis.

The charity has had to increase its ability to help those that really need it, leading to an increase in its operating costs.

Before that happened, Heals was already facing a shortfall in the anticipated income of £12,000 from lost fundraising, due to the health crisis.

Fortunately, it has now received donations to cover this initial shortfall but still needs to find funds to keep going.

“It is becoming clear we will need much more of that spirit of generosity, both to sustain Heals as a charity and to ensure we can support everyone through this crisis through the Hardship Fund,” Cllr Grant added.

Contributions to Heals’ general running costs, or the Emergency Hardship Fund can still be made at https://localgiving.org/charity/healsmalmesbury/ or via the Heals website www.healsmalmesbury.co.uk

A FAMILY was left terrified when a Malmesbury man approached their car with what they took to be a weapon in his hand.

Jonathan Skillern, 37, was spared a jail sentence after a judge said he was remorseful and there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Swindon Crown Court heard the man had been in the centre of Malmesbury on August 21 when he had seen a van driven by someone known to him. A day or two earlier there had been an incident involving Skillern and those in the van, although the nature of that incident was not explained.

There was what Judge Peter Crabtree described as an exchange of gestures. An irate Skillern approached the van and began banging on a window with an “implement”.

He had not been aware that a six-year-old girl was in the car at the time. The occupants said they had been terrified by the attack, prosecutor Stuart Ellacott said.

Skillern, of Bremilham Rise, Malmesbury, pleaded guilty to affray. Charges of possession of an offensive weapon, threats to kill and criminal damage were asked to lie on file.

Judge Crabtree said: “This is a serious offence of affray, as you will well appreciate. A town centre, where quite a few others were about, because a vehicle had to stop in traffic. I have got no doubt it’s an offence that’s caused the family and their daughter considerable fear.”

He acknowledged Skillern had suffered from mental health issues and was remorseful for the impact on the young girl in the car. There was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

He was sentenced to an 18-month community order with 25 rehabilitation activity days and a one-month curfew.

A DECISION which will see over 70 homes built in Malmesbury could affect communities all over Wiltshire which already have Neighbourhood Plans, says an angry Mayor.

Wiltshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee was recommended by officers to approve a plan by Gleeson Homes to build 71 houses on land south of Filands, and agreed to do so.

The plans were discussed on Wednesday (May 27), when the meeting heard Malmesbury Town Council was against the scheme and dozens of locals had written in protest, pointing out the land is not included for housing in their Neighbourhood Plan.

Cllr Gavin Grant, who represents the ward where the development was approved, said the approval drives ‘proverbial horses through neighbourhood planning and local democracy’.

He said: “It’s a beautiful day in Malmesbury but it’s a grim one in reality.”

Speaking after the decision, Malmesbury Mayor Campbell Ritchie said: “This has only happened because the government has recently changed national planning rules and Wiltshire Council has failed to maintain a five-year supply of land.

“But there is more than a five-year land supply in North Wiltshire and we have met - and more - all that has been asked of us in Malmesbury.

“I cannot pretend that the decision by the committee today does not seriously damage our Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan and the Neighbourhood Plans of every other community in Wiltshire that deal with housing matters.”

Cllr Grant raised objections due to the ‘unplanned and unwanted’ development’s lack of accessibility to the town and services such as schools. Equally he pointed out that the pavements did not properly service pedestrians or cyclists.

Addressing the committee, he said: “Please stand up for local democracy and the planning policy of Wiltshire and indeed those of the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan.”

land has already been identified in and around Malmesbury to build 885 houses by 2026. 750 have been built and 331 are currently in the pipeline making 1,089 new homes.

Normally developments under 200 houses would be decided by the planning committee, but this one went to Strategic Planning because Wiltshire Council’s lack of a five-year land supply scheme means the shortfall has become an issue across the county as a whole.

]]>fail@mindvision.co.uk (Malmesbury Gazette & Herald)Malmesbury NewspapersFri, 29 May 2020 05:31:09 +0100New Malmesbury task group to form to help local businesseshttps://www.malmesbury.com/home/historical-malmesbury/4812-new-malmesbury-task-group-to-form-to-help-local-businesses
https://www.malmesbury.com/home/historical-malmesbury/4812-new-malmesbury-task-group-to-form-to-help-local-businesses

Malmesbury Town Council and the Malmesbury Town Team are working together to help support the high street and local businesses.

Following the government announcement of the phased reopening of shops, businesses and the hospitality sector on May 10, Malmesbury Town Council and the town team have been working to form the Retailer and Business Community Task Force.

This new task force will develop plans to ensure businesses in the town are safe and welcoming, while following rules on social distancing, when they are allowed to reopen.

A spokesman said: “We are taking expert advice and we are looking at widening some pavement areas, changing some parking arrangements and providing helpful signage.

“We expect to be submitting our initial plans to Wiltshire Council for their permission and action within the next week and would hope to be introducing some initial changes as quickly as possible.

North Wiltshire MP James Gray has called on Dominic Cummings should step back from government.

The Prime Minister’s senior adviser is in the limelight for alleged trips to Durham last month.

In a post on his website, Mr Gray said: “None of us yet know the details of what Mr Cummings did, nor why. It may be that more will emerge in the coming days to justify (or to condemn) his behaviour.

“But for now I believe that at a time when thanks to his advice we are all going through Lockdown, our personal circumstances very often being a great deal worse than his, it most certainly does look like a double standard to apparently ignore his own advice.

TEA and coffee retailer Whittard of Chelsea is helping to raise the spirits of Wiltshire care home residents who are missing visits from family and friends during lockdown.

The company has given packs of tea and biscuits to all 68 care homes and 14 extra care housing schemes run by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) to help homes and schemes host afternoon tea treats for residents.

They have been enjoying different flavours from classic blends such as English Breakfast and Earl Grey to unique flavours like Mango & Bergamot green tea and Afternoon Tea - and many homes have used the gift to lay on special afternoon teas, with cake and sandwiches, and create a party atmosphere.

Extra packs of tea and biscuits have also been given for the home's carers, when they get the opportunity to take a break.

Kerry Dearden, Deputy Chief Executive of OSJCT, said: “We are so grateful for this very generous gesture from Whittard of Chelsea. Teams in homes are working incredibly hard during very challenging times to ensure that residents are kept as engaged and busy as possible while visitor access is restricted.

"Special afternoon tea sessions are a perfect way of giving our residents something to look forward to, and a great reminder to enjoy small moments of pleasure."

Nathan Smith, CEO of Whittard of Chelsea, said: “It is our pleasure to support The Orders of St John Care Trust during this challenging time. Hopefully, some great tea and biscuits will help to raise the spirits of both the residents who are unable to see loved ones, and the staff who are doing such a fantastic job across the country.”

A BRINKWORTH businesswoman is hoping her business distributing cardboard tents for festival goers can help firms as lockdown loosens.

Kirsty Peters is the UK’s sole distributor of the tents, but with festivals cancelled, orders have followed suit. So she hopes to sell re-purposed tents to offices and cafes as protective barriers.

Dutch company Kartent produces the tents, and the fall off in festival trade has left them with 50,000 in the warehouse.

Kirsty has had the sole UK distribution rights for more than a year and operates from a storage facility between Brinkworth and Malmesbury.

She hopes to fill a gap in the market by creating desk dividers and large cardboard screens with clear windows to convert open plan offices into smaller personal sections.

“We are just trying to be entrepreneurial and at the same time provide a useful solution,” said Kirsty. “Our festival orders have all but dried up, but we have this product that can be useful for businesses as they start to open up.”

“Also, we hope that at some point in the future, these barriers won’t be needed anymore, so they are made of cardboard and therefore easy to recycle.The idea has also been adopted by cafes to carve out personal space in the shop so that people can enjoy refreshments with the comfort of a protective shield.”

A REVOLT has forced Dyson to U-turn on its decision to recall staff to the office, it has been reported.

Sources at the Wiltshire appliance manufacturer told The Guardian that staff were asked to work in the office on rotating shift patterns from Monday, May 18.

But it is understood the request sparked anger from employees and the company reversed its decision a day later.

The Guardian says it has seen emails sent by chief executive Roland Krueger that confirm staff were told they should start returning to work.

It reports the first was sent on Friday after work hours, leaving employees with little time to prepare. It informed recipients that Dyson had “reopened our UK campus” and that staff would be divided into two rotating teams, alternating between home and office working.

The proposal would have meant some staff having to travel to the firm’s sites at Hullavington and Malmesbury, even if they were able to work from home.

According to The Guardian, an email sent by Mr Krueger the next day said Dyson had “reviewed the practicalities” and decided not to implement the proposal.

One anonymous worker told The Guardian: “Everyone was very unhappy,” said the source.

“If they’d had their way, there would have been 2,500 people in the office and I’d estimate 60 per cent of those could work from home with a low impact.”

Three other sources offered the same version of events to the national newspaper.

One said Dyson’s actions were a “uniquely dangerous form of presenteeism”.

“My main concern is that it flies in the face of the government guidance of our civic duty to stay at home where possible,” the employee told The Guardian.

A statement from Dyson said: “Our Campus has remained open throughout the crisis as 450 people joined the national effort to create Dyson’s emergency Covid-19 ventilator – which mercifully was not needed.

“The health and wellbeing of our people is our number one priority and we are taking all the appropriate steps to keep those people on campus safe, including distancing, mandatory wearing of face masks, enhanced cleaning protocols and temperature checking.

“Some of our activities are creative and lab-based so we are now balancing work from home arrangements with working on campus, for those unable to work from home.

"Dyson has not furloughed any staff anywhere in the world, or accepted any Covid-19 financial assistance anywhere in the world.”